Job was blameless, upright, God-fearing, and turns away from evil (Job 1:1-3). He was a good person, yet he experienced bad things. God allows bad things to happen to good people, not just to those who deserve them, who are in sin, and don’t know Him. Job was successful, blessed with many children, possessions, and servants. He was well-respected. Suddenly, all the wealth he had (vv.13-17) and all his children (vv.18-19) were all gone.

Job was honest with his grief, then fell to the ground and worshiped (vv.20-22). Truly, “…it is not a mark of spirituality to pretend to feel no pain. The proper response to loss for a Christian is not the absence of sorrow. It’s the absence of hopeless sorrow…” (Chuck Swindoll).

After that, Satan smote Job with sore boils (Job 2:4-8). These inflamed ulcers covered his whole body. It was so painful that he had to go to the “ash heap”, break open his skin so that he can feel some relief.

Amidst this suffering, his wife told him to curse God (v.9). We can make or break someone through our words (Proverbs 21:19). Job responded to her that they are to accept adversity also, not just the good (v.10). He did not sin with his lips. Whatever we are going through, we should thank God in the midst of it (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). “God’s great goal for us is not that we be rich and successful and smiling and happy at all times. God’s goal is that we glorify Him no matter what our circumstances are…” (Chuck Swindoll).

Jesus accepted adversity as well. Jesus had to take the “cup”, an Old Testament picture of God’s divine wrath on sin, for all of us. Not fair, but He came to God with open hands and had let God’s will be done (Matthew 26:39). This is a powerful example of someone who accepted adversity and changed the trajectory of eternity for us.

In a long stretch of conversation with his friends, Job had a faulty perspective of the “hedge”—it being a prison (Job 3:23). He felt he was boxed in, constricted and hopeless. Unbeknownst to Job, Satan used the same word “hedge”—referring to God’s protection (Job 1:10). We need to change our response. The proper response is to look at our circumstance and not see it as prison, but instead see it as God’s protection. “The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us…” (Billy Graham).

If you are following God, you are not in sin, and you have a relationship with Him. We can overcome challenging circumstances because God will not take us to where He cannot sustain us. It is His way of protecting us and doing something even more in our life. But if you are in sin or do not have a relationship with God, the hedge is off.

Silence and stillness make us a little uncomfortable.

Eliphaz, Job’s friend, had the idea that bad things can never happen to good people (Job 4:7). Job responded to his friends that they were sorry or miserable comforters (Job 16:2)! God’s response to Job’s friends was that they have not spoken of Him rightly (Job 42:7). For those who know somebody who is hurting, sometimes the best response is to be silent (Proverbs 17:28).

God speaks, and Job responds in silence (Job 40:1-5). God is God and we are not; silence puts us in our place. Job seemed to have a little bit of pride in his speech (Job 21:5, Job 29:9). Job’s silence before God reframed his perspective. After he saw God in a whirlwind, he didn’t have anything to say! Sometimes, the right response to God is to be still (Psalm 46:10). When our eyes finally see the glory of God, we can’t help but just be silent. God sometimes had to break through the noise in our lives and say to us “be still”. Job wanted to know the “why” to his situation but God answered him with the “Who”. When we are silent and still, we are able to appreciate who God is. We should not miss out on opportunities to be silent and listen in humility to know God better. This silence of Job prepared him for the next response.

Job may have heard about God, but now finally sees Him (Job 42:1-5). This is a powerful, beautiful, and intimate moment. Job and his friends in their dialogue mostly referred to of God as El Shaddai—God Almighty. But when God spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, He introduced His name, the LORD Yahweh (Job 38:1). This is His personal name; He is real and personal.

Job repents (Job 42:6)—his name means “the repentant one”. This was the defining moment of Job. “Job never saw why he suffered, but he saw God, and that was enough”… (Tim Keller).“The central theme of the book of Job is not suffering. Rather, the book of Job is about our relationship with God in the midst of human suffering…” (Edmund Chan).

God blessed all the remaining days of Job’s life more than ever (Job 42:10-17). He had ten more children and his daughters were: Jemimah “daylight”, Keziah “sweet-smelling”, and Keren-happuch “all the beautiful colors…”. Such a beautiful closure. Job died an old man and “full of days”—satisfied with his days at a good old age.

Job is just a prelude to Jesus. Jesus came so that we may have fullness of life (John 10:10). Jesus gives suffering meaning and His suffering allows all of us to finish well.

(Leaders: Please choose questions that are appropriate to the level of spiritual maturity of your members)

What hinders you from worshipping or giving praise to God when you’re experiencing problems?

What concrete steps can you take so that you can fully give thanks and worship God even in the midst of trials?

Do you know someone who is in the middle of a trial? How can you share Jesus with that person?

Pray for hurting and suffering people to see Jesus and to trust Him as their Lord and Savior.
Bless someone who is going through a tough time with your presence, listening ear, and empathy.
Share who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 22Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.